Germany, Oct. 14 -- Researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Ruhr University Bochum and Evonik Oxeno have developed a novel catalyst system that enables the use of the climate gas carbon dioxide (CO2) as a raw material for the chemical industry. This breakthrough allows for the more sustainable production of key products such as fragrances and building blocks for plastics. Carbonylation is a central process in chemical manufacturing, in which olefins - a group of hydrocarbons - are converted into esters or acids using carbon monoxide. These substances are essential components of many everyday products. The process yields both basic chemicals - such as methyl methacrylate, the precursor for acrylic glass - and specialty ...